Sam Fender has handed over the entirety of his twenty-five thousand pound Mercury Prize cash to the MVT, which operates to save the United Kingdom's grassroots live music spots.
He was presented with the award on 16 October as his new release the album was declared the outstanding release of the past year.
He has decided to hand the money over to the trust, in appreciation of the vital role small stages played in his beginning days.
"I couldn't be pursuing my current career if it weren't for all the performances I did around the region, and elsewhere, when I was beginning," stated Sam Fender. "These venues are legendary, but they are struggling."
Beginning in 2023, over 150 of these locations have shut down – roughly one-sixth of the total UK scene.
In the last year, top acts such as Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the trust in its attempts to help venues survive, by including a modest fee to their ticket prices, which goes to help smaller concert halls.
Fender also joined in, generating more than £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to help 38 small stages across England, Scotland, and Wales.
The money helped spaces that were facing potential shutdown due to challenges arising from water damage, fire incidents and bereavements, as well as permit problems, legal disputes and noise complaints.
Additional spaces obtained funding support in modernizing facilities and sound and lighting systems that directly benefitted artists and concertgoers.
"The concept that revenue from performances in large arenas backs the local stages, where it begins for performers like me, is just common sense," Fender has said.
He is far from the only musician to donate his award funds to charitable organizations.
Back when the band earned the award in the year 1996 for their album their work, frontman Cocker declared that the band would contribute their prize money to the non-profit War Child.
In 2002, musician Ms Dynamite divided her award across a few charities, including the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.
"Additionally, I gave a thousand pounds to my local community centre, to their gymnastics class, because I practiced gymnastics when I was growing up and they required updated gear," she told the media.
Two years ago, the band contributed their funds to the local youth club that supported their group, as well as other grassroots music organisations.
Additionally the 1994 recipients M People contributed their prize to a multiple sclerosis charity after a acquaintance was diagnosed the condition.
"Receiving the award was ample," stated vocalist the singer. "The cash was the extra but we didn't require the bonus, because we had the cake. So our victory touched another person's life."
Last week, the MVT announced it had saved several grassroots venues in that region, by bringing them into local control.
The Joiners in Southampton and the other in that location were acquired under the public acquisition initiative, which is backed by Arts Council England and music fans who buy "ownership units" in the venues.
